Tuesday, December 8, 2009

The NFL just announced that there will be NO CHANGE in the Panthers' 8:20 p.m., prime time game against Minnesota. That game remains scheduled at Bank of America stadium on Sunday, Dec.20 on NBC.

The NFL's flex scheduling offered an option for the league and TV network NBC to move the game to an earlier start that day. It stayed where it was, though, because of one reason: Brett Favre.

Favre is a one-man ratings machine, especially since his Minnesota Vikings are still in contention for the No.1 seed in the NFC (although trailing undefeated New Orleans, who the Panthers close the season with on Jan.3rd. Say this for the Panthers -- although they aren't very good, their final two home opponents couldn't be more attractive).

The Panthers, meanwhile, will get lots of prime-time exposure that Sunday night -- and likely a lot of it won't be positive. NBC's "A Team" on Sunday Night Football is one of the best in the business in large part because it doesn't pull punches, so this one stays as a prime-time showcase. And unless the Panthers can change the storyline, there will be a lot of salivating over Favre and a lot of criticism of how the Panthers have fallen so far, so fast.